Animal-trap.



A. 1. SMITH.

ANIMAL TRAP.

nrucmon FILED AUG. 1. l9l2.

1,147,822. Patented July 27, 1915.

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AUGUST 3'. SMITH, OI MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27,1915.

Application filed August 1, 1912. Serial No. 712,632.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I AUGUST J. SMITH, a citizen of the United states, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, of which the followingi is a description, referenee being had to tie accompanyin drawings, which are a part of this speci cation.

This invention relates to improvements in animal traps and more particularly to traps for cxtcrminating rats, mice and other li ce rodents.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide an animal trap which is of simple construction, contains the minimum number of parts and which is of a form to negative the idea of an inclosure in order to easily lure the animal within the operating parts of the trap.

A further object of the invention is to rovide an animal trap which is adapted to (ill the animals caught and which will catch a number of animals at the same time.

A further object of the invention is to provide an animal trap which may be entered from all sides of the trap.

With the above, and other jeets in view, the invention consists of the improved animal tra and its parts and combinations as set fort in the claim, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views: Fi re 1 is a vertical central sectional view 0 the improved animal trap with the parts in open or set position; Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof with the parts in closed position; and, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the tra taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

1 eferring to the drawing the numeral 5 indicates the base portion of the trap and 6 the standard or stem thereof. The base is preferably of annular form and is provided with an upstanding peripheral flange 7 which forms the lower animal engagin portion of the trap. A slidable mem er 8 mounted on the stem 6 is also of annular form and is provided with 0. depending peripheral flange 9 of a diameter to closely fit within the flange 7 of the base or lower member 5 of the trap. This slidable member forms the upper animal engaging member of the trap. The slidable member of the trap is formed with a depending sleeve 9 which loosely surrounds the stem 6, and a coiled spring 10 surrounding the stem and interposed between the sleeve and the washer or enlargement 11 of the 11 per end of the stem serves to force the sli able member to its lowermost position. Portions cut out from the upper part of the slidable member are bent upwardly in a curve to form finger hooks 12 for convenience in opening or moving the slidable member to its upper or open position.

In order to releasably hold the slidable member in its upper position a bell crank lever latch 13 is provided and the vertical arm 14 of this lever is positioned within the elongated slot 15 of the stem and a pin 16 passing transversely through the stem and the lower part of the arm pivotally connects the lever to the stem.

The upper end of the arm 14 is adapted to be swung outwardly to a position to engage the lower edge 17 of the sleeve 9 when the slidable member is in its upper position and hold said member in this position against the tension of the sprin The upper end of the said arm is provide with a tongue 18 which engages the shoulder 19 of the stem to pr vent the upper end of the arm from swing ing outwardly beyond its sleeve engaging position. The horizontal arm 20 ot the bell crank lever extends outwardly from the stem and is provided with a pronged bait holdmg receptacle 21 on its outer end.

n use the trap is baited and is set or opened by holding the stem horizontally with the vertical arm of the bell crank lever extending downwardly. The slidable member is now pulled outwardly 'by the finger hooks until the lever arm drops downwardly and en ages the sleeve of the slidable member. he trap is now set and if the horizontal arm of the lever is pressed downwardly a slight distance by an animal the slidable member will be released and the animal will be can ht between the flanges of the base and slidab e members and killed by the force of the blow or strangled by the constant pressure of the members. It is obvious that more than one animal may be within the trap when released and that they will also be can ht and killed at the same time.

rom the foregoing description it will be pivoted to the standard and having its vertically extending arm within the elongated recess and its upper end positioned to releasably engage a portion of the slidable member to releasably hold said slidable member in open position, the upper end of the bell-crank lever having a tongue for limiting its outward movement, the horizontal arm of said bell crank lever extending outwardly from the standard and provided with a bait holding means and adapted to be gloved downwardly to trip the upper mem- In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

\ AUGUST J. SMITH.

Witnesses:

C. H. KEENEI, L. G. Tmzmmn.

O'opie: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents- Washington, D. 0." 

